Ray Skinner
Our new member John Cullen gave me the sad news that Captain Ray Skinner crossed the bar on the 6th November 2004 and the funeral was held at the Downs Crematorium, Bear Road, Brighton at 12 noon on the 18th November. Family flowers only but donations to Cancer Relief. We send our deepest sympathy to Ray's wife Mary and family who live at 112 Edith Avenue North, Peacehaven, Sussex, BN10 8EB. Ray died from cancer of the lung.
I had the pleasure of working with Ray when the "Welsh City" was re-engined at Aioi in 1973 when he was Chif Officer and he looked after the deck repairs during that period. Ray became Deck Superintendent and we workedtogether for four months in Japan, during that time we had the misfortune of spending New Years Day 1974 together in Kobe staying at the Tower Hotel, Kobe. In the City all the bars and shops were closed and that was a pretty dull day. During the period he was Superintendent he lived in Cardiff. In October1976 he took up his first command as Master where he relieved Captain Oliver Lindsay on the m.v."Gela" in Vera Cruz, and his last ship was the "Amparo".
He left the company in 1987 to take up a new career in the Prison Service.
Printed in Shipmates No.33 December 2004.